Senior Design Projects Spring 2023

211: Cascade Chiller

Our project goal is to build a cascade fluid chiller that will accept a fluid from an external process and cool it to cryogenic temperatures as low as -122 F. This type of chiller has demand in both lab environments for cryogenic storage as well as other chemical processes requiring cryogenic temperatures. We are seeking to improve upon reliability issues associated with an auto-cascade system currently on the market.

219: Improved Vacuum Sound for Pets

Senior Capstone Design Team #04

Senior Capstone Design Team #04

Photo Credit: Julia Westfall

The goal of our project is to modify a BISSELL model vacuum in order to lower its sound pressure level overall by 5 dBA (A-weighted decibel), as well as attenuate "annoying" high frequency peaks. This is being done to reduce the fear of vacuums in pets, which can cause anxiety and stress in pets, mainly dogs. The chosen vacuum is a BISSELL Crosswave Pet Pro. During early stages of testing, we found that our main source of sound was coming from the side exhausts. Our solution method is a custom printed exterior muffler, which will be attached on the side exhausts, to redirect and muffle loud exhaust noises. While we are only working on this specific model, we are hoping that BISSELL can use this idea to improve the sound on many models of vacuums.